Avalanche rescue dog found safe, healthy after 3 days

Kevin Sibbald and his family are feeling some relief today after the recovery of Coho, an experienced avalanche rescue dog who had been lost in the Pemberton area for more than three days.

Photograph by: Submitted

Kevin Sibbald and his family are feeling some relief today after the recovery of Coho, an experienced avalanche rescue dog who had been lost in the Pemberton area for more than three days.

Coho's disappearance prompted RCMP and many community members to take part in the search for the eight-year-old female chocolate lab, who was last seen Dec. 2 behind the Rona hardware store in Pemberton.

She had wandered away from her home without a collar.

Sibbald said Coho was found late Wednesday evening,in the care of a man who had no idea she was a lost dog who was the focus of a community-wide hunt.

"The person who found her was living off the grid and was not aware that anyone was looking for her," said Sibbald, who led the hunt with flyers, posters and local news media alerts. The dog was healthy and well-fed, said Sibbald.

Sibbald said Coho, certified with the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association, has six years of experience clearing after avalanches and locating fatalities.

Sibbald said he was moved by all the support from people in the community and the RCMP.

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